Why Does Mint Feel Cold?

"Imagine TRPM8 as a microscopic thermometer inside your body. It's the primary sensor that tells your brain when it's cold. When the temperature of the air that touches our skin or the food we put in our mouths falls between 10° and 28°C (46° and 82°F), the TRPM8 receptor opens up, allowing ions to move into the attached nerve cell."

"Mint plants contain an aromatic compound called menthol. It occurs in particularly high concentrations in spearmint and peppermint, and it seems to have evolved as a natural defense mechanism for the herbs, creating an intense cooling sensation in the mouth that deters predators from eating them."

"Scientists theorized as early as the 1950s that menthol somehow activates the same nerve receptors as cold temperatures, but they weren't able to show exactly how that happens until now. Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers have finally revealed the precise mechanisms of menthol's interaction with TRPM8 receptors."

Menthol, a compound found in mint plants, interacts with TRPM8 sensory receptors that normally detect temperatures between 10°C and 28°C. Rather than responding to actual temperature changes, menthol activates these same receptors through a different mechanism, creating an enhanced cooling sensation. This compound likely evolved as a natural defense mechanism in spearmint and peppermint plants to deter predators. Scientists have long theorized about menthol's interaction with cold-sensing nerves, and recent cryo-electron microscopy research has finally revealed the precise mechanisms. Understanding how menthol amplifies cold perception could lead to more effective medical treatments for conditions including pain management, nasal congestion, and dry eye syndrome.

Read at Psychology Today